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Sorry for the long wait- I was lazy and felt like writing a bunch of philosophical stuffikins, so yeah. Anyway, here it is! <3
Chapter Ten: Someday, Somehow, We're Gonna Make it Alright, But Not Right Now.
"Return this heart...."
Just a few moments after I said this, the light began to fade away, and I lowered my Keyblade. Where the Heartless once was, there now lay a young man.
But it wasn't Jaxen.
I stood there, stunned, frozen in place.
"What the flip?! What the flip?! What did you do?!" I heard Piku exclaim behind me. But her voice seemed to be coming from a great distance. The person who lay, unconscious, on the ground was fairly young, but had to be a decade older than Jaxen, in his mid-twenties or so. His hair was dark, yes, but not the raven-black that Jaxen's was. And his features couldn't be more different. Yet all the same, he looked familiar. But these thoughts were broken up by a sudden, strangled scream.
"Orion, oh Destiny, Orion, I can't believe this, I-" a sob made her choke on her words.
"Amera ... who is this?" I managed to ask, mouth dry. Amera laughed a little through her tears.
"I don't know why I'm crying ... but I'm just so shocked. I didn't even know this happened. You see, this
"How could you not know that your brother's heart was stolen?" Piku asked incredulously. Myra was still looking thunderstruck, staring with her mouth agape.
Amera shook her head. "He doesn't live in the village- I told you about him, remember, Piku? He lives on an island on Chatoyant Lake." she looked down at him with obvious relief.
"We shouldn’t stay here," I said suddenly, my own voice seeming to be coming from a great distance. "Is there someplace in the forest where the Heartless won’t go? Some where safe?"
"Yes," Amera answered with only a moments hesitation. "Hold on, I’ll lead you there."
I nodded, my limbs still numb. It wasn’t Jaxen. Amera had drawn her slim sword again, but held it at bay with one hand, still cradling Orion tenderly with the other arm. I saw her lips move around words I could not hear, and her blade glowed around he edges briefly. A moment later, she stood up- and Orion hung supported in the air beside her.
Up until then, I thought I couldn’t get more shocked.
"You can do magic?" Piku asked. Amera nodded.
"Orion taught me how. He’s really an adept. I’m not so good at it, but I learned a few things."
"Why didn’t you use any when we were fighting?"
"Like I said, I’m not the best." she shrugged nonchalantly. "I’m really more of a warrior. Good thing I didn’t try though- I might’ve fried Orion." she chuckled and pointed down to a smaller path that branched off from the larger one. "This way," she added, beginning to walk down it, guiding a still unconscious, levitating Orion. I followed her silently. Piku did as well, after smacking Myra in the face to bring her out of her stunned stupour. As we made our way down a smaller path that branched off of the larger one, I couldn't help but let my thoughts wander. If someone had asked me what my main emotion at the time was, I honestly wouldn't have been able to answer.
Obviously, I was disappointed; I had been so hoping to save Jaxen. And the hurt which had temporarily been replaced by the epinephrin of battle was back and stronger than ever.
Yet at the same time, I couldn't help but feel ecstatic; even if it wasn't Jaxen, someone was no longer a Heartless, and I had done it. And not just anyone, but Amera's brother, and the beautiful smile on her face eased the pain of my shattered hope.
And then,confusion; I knew it was Jaxen I had Seen, and he and Orion hardly looked enough alike to mistake the two. But if it wasn't Jaxen who was that Heartless, than why had I Seen him? Had it just been my hopeful heart and imagination interfering with the truth? Or ... was it possible that someone else had tricked me? And if so, who? And last but not least, I flet and uneasy fear; what had done?
I had gone into a place that no one ever should. No one with a heart, at least. I had entered the endless black abyss that existed between life, and whatever lay beyond. The sheer force of my will had let me rip through the very fabric of this world to bring someone’s heart back from another plane. The power was exhilarating ... and frightening as well. Both feelings caused me to shiver. Yet even this was forgotten as Amera's comment of, "We're here" made me look up and gasp.
We had entered the edge of a large clearing. Sunlight shone brightly, making the trees even more dazzling to behold. But it was not the iridescent trees that had made me catch my breath. It was the great plateau that rose up above us, and the steps and dome-ceilinged atrium that had been carved from it, in it, leading into it, brooding over us like a silent colossus. It was magnificent, and wonderfully crafted, yet quite ancient, it seemed. Fissures lined the mist-grey stone like scars, and vines and moss grew on the walls that disappeared into the side of the cliff. Even a bright young sapling had sprouted from a cleft in the cracked stairs that led up to the building's entrance.
"Where are we?" I asked.
"We are at the great temple of Castaway Village," Amera responded solemnly. "One of the only places in the forest where we will be safe from the Heartless."
"Psh, you mean the Heartless will be safe from me!" Myra said, cackling.
"This is a temple?" I asked incredulously as we walked towards the steps. It was hard to believe that a great temple would be left in such a ruined state.
"What? One little fight with the Heartless left you with a hearing problem?"
I let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm just wondering why the village's temple is in ruins," I said, stopping at the foot of the broken stairs. Amera sighed as well, though not in exasperation. "I’ll tell you when we’re inside," she answered, before starting cautiously up the steps. I followed quietly, pausing for a moment as I passed the sapling that grew defiantly half-way up. For some reason, I thought it one of the saddest sights I’d ever seen. With many a backward glance, I continued slowly up the stairs. Finding Amera’s brother had made me strangely tired, and when I reached the top, I collapsed with my back against a cool pillar, sinking to the ground as Amera directed Orion to the ground gently and sat besides him vigilantly. Piku hopped up on the back of a moss-covered gargoyle. Myra lit up several torches in the great room with her Gunblade before sitting on a dias, swinging her long legs in an impatiant manner. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes with weary relief.
"So," I said at last, eyes still closed. "Why is the temple like this?" Amera took her time in answering, and for a while I heard nothing but her footsteps echoing across stone. I had almost fallen asleep when she spoke again.
"No one has come to pray here for a very long time. "I opened my eyes to see her pacing back and forth in front of her brother."
"Why not?" I asked curiously.
Amera stopped his pacing to face me. "The people of Castaway Village have lost their faith. Years and years ago, the people prayed to the spirit of Destiny for strength and guidance." she paused to look around the temple, and my mind started at her words, my thoughts beginning to race. Destiny....
"But then the Heartless came," Amera continued, and I jumped for real and came out of my reverie. "And the people became angry with the spirits for allowing it to happen, or else blamed them for the Heartless appearance. They stopped believing, and the temple was abandoned. Since then though, we have not been as strong as we once were."
"That's stupid," Piku said, blunt as ever.
"Exactly."
"But Destiny can't make these things happen," I murmured.
"That's exactly my point. But no one will listen." she walked over to me. "But while we're on teh subject of Destiny, do you mind telling us what happened?" she waved her hand to the unconscious Orion.
I shook and lowered my head, resting my brow on my palms. "I really don't know. I mean, I know what I did, but I'm not sure how I did it, or how I even knew what to do."
"That's not very helpful," Myra replied.
I groaned in frustration. "What would you like me to say?"
"An answer would be nice," Piku quipped. I noticed that she had begun to eat another pickle. Absently, I wondered if she had some kind of secret stash on her at all times.
"Well, answers are about the only thing I don't have right now," I snapped. I couldn't tell them how I had felt when I had entered that black abyss, because I couldn't admit to myself that a small part of me had felt exulted in the darkness, even as I fought against it. It had been a sudden, fleeting feeling of power and satisfaction, urged by a thirst for revenge that wasn't even mine. Where had it come from?
Was there a part of my heart that I didn't even know?
Happy I finallyyyyy read ur fic lol!!!! Well I wnna be in it lol! I will PM you with details and crap... or I could just tell you since you right behind me ! Haha Good story you got to post more soooon lazy !
